Chair for supporting concrete reinforcing rods



Oct. 25, 1938. F. D. REILAND 2,134,533

CHAIR FOR SUPPORTING CONCRETE REINFORCING RODS Filed Nov. 18, 1957 Patented Oct. 25, 1938 PATENT OFFICE- CHA IR FOR SUPPORTING CONCRETE REINFORCING RODS Frank D. Reiland, Chicago, 111.

Application November 18, 1937, Serial No. 175,278

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved chair for supporting reinforcing rods in concrete beam construction.

Concrete structures are usually reinforced by steel bars or rods which are imbedded therein at desiredlocations. In order that these rods shall be properly positioned within the concrete 7 it is necessary that they be temporarily support- Cir ed at the desired height within the wooden forms before the concrete is poured. In the case of the larger reinforcing rods, individual chairs are often provided at intervals on which chairs the rod rests, .and the present invention relates to an'improved chair of this type.

The present improved chair consists of three simple lengths of wire welded'togetherso as to form a four-legged supporting device having a wide-spread substantial base and an upwardly projecting yoke to hold the reinforcing rodin place. f a

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved chair of the type hereinabove'briefiy described and disclosed more in detail in the specifications which follow.

Another object is to provide an improved chair formed of connected wires.

Another object isto provide a chair of this type which is simple and economical in construc tion, while possessing adequate strength and a stable and rigid form.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following' detailed description of one approved form of the device constructed and operating according to the principles of this invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a section of a reinforcing rod supported by two of the improved chairs, each chair being shown in end elevation.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the chairs;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the chairs.

The improved chair, in the form here shown, consists of three lengths i, 2 and 3 of rather heavy wire, or metal rods of rather small diameter. The main and longest member l is bent into a bow-shape consisting of an intermediate substantially horizontal supporting member 4, and two similar downwardly extending legs 5 and 6. The legs 5 and 6 preferably diverge downwardly from one another so as to form suitable angles (see a Fig. 2) with the vertical. This gives a wider spread and increased stability to the chair. The legs 5 and 6 are both positioned in the same plane, preferably a vertical plane as best shown in Fig. 1.

The two auxiliary members 2 and 3 are welded or otherwise suitably secured to opposite sides of the supporting member 4, usually adjacent opposite ends of this .member. The members 2 and 3 extend outwardly and downwardly at respectively opposite sides of the vertical plane in which legs 5 and 6 are located, the angles of inclination ofthese members 2 and Spreferably being substantially equalas indicated at b and b in Fig. 1. The lengths of these members 2 and 3 beneath the supporting member 4 are sufficient to rest on the same supporting surface as the main legs 5 and 6, thus forming a pair of auxiliary legs l and 8.

It will also, be noted that each leg 1 and 8' inclines downwardly and inwardly relative to the adjacent main leg 5 or 5, .and with respect toan intermediate vertical plane at right angles to supporting member Q, as indicated at c in Fig. 2. This brings the feet 1' 'and'8f at the bottoms of auxiliary legs I and 8 substantially in transverse alignment with one another so that the foot 1 will be substantially equally spaced from the main feet 5 and B at the lower ends of legs 5 and 5. In the same manner foot 8' is sub- 'stantially equally spaced from the feet 5 and 6, and preferably about thesame spacing exists between the two feet 1' and 8. In this manner a widespread four point suspension is provided so that the chair is quite stable and rigid and cannot readily be tipped over in any direction.

It may also be noted that the wire or rod from which the members is formed is cut off rather sharply and since the legs are all inclined to the vertical, the feet at the lower ends of these legs will tend to dig into the wooden surface on which they rest and thus prevent displacement of the chair when once positioned.

The upper end portions of the substantially straight auxiliary members I and 2 preferably project upwardly beyond the supporting member 4 to form short arms 9 and I0. These arms 9 and I0 form, together with the intervening portion of supporting member 4, a yoke between which the supported rod is positioned, as indicated at H in Fig. 1. It will be understood that the chairs might be turned at an angle to the positions indicated in Fig. 1 so that rod ll would be clamped in place between arms. 9 and E0, in the event that the rod H is of less diameter than the space between arms 9 and I0.

It will be apparent that with a chair of this type rather large and heavy supporting rods, either round or rectangular, or hollow pipes can, be accommodated in the yoke at the top of the chair. In former chairs of this general type it has been customary to provide a downwardly extending dip or recess by suitably bending the Wire cross member in order to accommodate certain square or rectangular rods. This necessi tates an excessively wide cross-member. In the present construction this recess is simply provided by the upwardly projecting ends 9 and I 0 of the auxiliary leg members, and no excessive width of cross member 4 is necessitated.

It will be apparent that this chair can be very simply and economically constructed. No bending operations whatever are required for the straight leg members 2 and 3, and the main member I only requires two simple and similar bends. This main intermediate member is of a type that can also be 'used in many other structural forms, so that the number of dies required is minimized. The height of the chair can be varied by simply increasing or decreasing the lengths of the several leg members, the bending angles remaining constant, therefore the same assembly jig can be used for holding the member during the spotwelding operation.

Since the auxiliary members 2 and 3 are simply straight lengths of wire, and since chairs of various height are required, there is practically no waste of material. Even the shortest wire lengths will be suitable for use in certain of the smaller chairs. No great accuracy is necessary in cutting the lengths of the auxiliary members 2 and 3. These auxiliary members are adjusted in relation to the main leg members 5 and 6 so that all legs will be of the same length, and then the welding operation is performed. Any variation in length can go into the upwardly projecting arms 9 and I0 forming the yoke, where ordinarily such variation will be unimportant.

I claim:

1. A chair for supporting a reinforcing rod in concrete construction, said chair comprising a length of wire bent to form an intermediate upper supporting member and a pair of legs extending downwardly in a vertical plane from the ends of said member, and a pair of auxiliary lengths of wire secured near their upper ends to the cross member at spaced apart locations and forming leg members extending downwardly at substantially equal angles at respectively opposite sides of the vertical plane of the first member, the upper ends of said auxiliary members extending above the supporting member and forming, with the intervening portion of the cross member, a yoke for receiving and supporting a reinforcing rod.

2. A chair for supporting a reinforcing rod in concrete construction, said chair comprising a length of wire bent to form an intermediate upper supporting member and a pair of legs extending downwardly and outwardly in a vertical plane from the ends of said supporting member, and a pair of substantially straight auxiliary lengths of wire welded near their upper ends to the supporting member at spaced apart locations and forming leg members extending downwardly at substantially equal angles at respectively opposite sides of the vertical plane of the first member and g each auxiliary leg also being inclined opposite to the adjacent leg of the first-mentioned pair so that its lower end will be spaced substantially equally from the lower ends of the first mentioned pair of legs.

3. A chair for supporting a reinforcing rod in concrete construction, said chair comprising a length of wire bent to form an intermediate upper supporting member and a pair of legs extending downwardly and outwardly in a vertical plane from the ends of said supporting member, and a pair of substantially straight auxiliary lengths of wire welded near their upper ends to the supporting member at spaced apart locations and forming leg members extending downwardly at substantially equal angles at respectively opposite sides of the vertical plane of the first member and each auxiliary leg also being inclined opposite to the adjacent leg of the first-mentioned pair so that its lower end will be spaced substantially equally from the lower ends of the first mentioned pair of legs, the upper ends of the auxiliary members extending above the supporting member and forming, with the intervening portion of the supporting member, a yoke for receiving and supporting a reinforcing rod.

FRANK D. REILAND. 

